By Instinct Alone
by Bad Faery
Summary: Short stories from the beast!Rush universe
1. The Games We Play

Belle knew she'd made a mistake the second she did it.

Nick had been having trouble that morning, and she was usually sensitive to that, but he'd seemed better once they were on the planet, and she'd stopped thinking about it. By the time they returned to Destiny, all she was thinking was that she was exhausted and her feet were sore and walking her fatigue jacket to its proper place was simply too much trouble. Instead she shrugged it off and simply tossed it, trusting it would land on the pile of discarded clothing.

Nick _lunged_.

In an impressive burst of speed, he caught it before it hit the ground, bringing it back to her proudly. Belle did her best to hide her wince, taking it from his hand with a smile. "Thank you, Nick." She rifled through the pockets, pretending to be looking for something she'd forgotten and hoping that if she acted like this was normal, no one else would notice.

No such luck, every other person in the gate room was staring at them. Nick was looking at her expectantly, his body poised for her to either throw the jacket again or give him his reward. Cursing mentally, Belle pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, and he rumbled at her, then his eyes cleared.

The flicker of mortification that passed over his face was unmistakable, then he cleared his throat, looking intently at the floor as if the mysteries of the Ancients were inscribed on it.

"Did he-?" Greer started.

"No!" Belle snapped, making a show out of checking every pocket as she invented desperately, "Maybe I left my sunglasses in my pack." It was a weak excuse and she knew it, but at least it was _something_.

"They're on your head," Chloe pointed out, and Belle shot her a dirty look that the other girl really didn't deserve.

"Thanks." With fumbling hands, she plucked the sunglasses off the top of her head and fiddled with them, her hands already full of the jacket. It would probably be safe to throw it now, but she was taking no chances.

"He did," Greer said more confidently, "He's playing fetch."

One of Nick's patented, dead-eyed, 'the only reason you're still alive is because it would take too much time to kill you' death-glares put a halt to the laughter, but Belle knew it was only a temporary respite. Sure enough, as they left the gate room an empty water bottle came sailing down the hall past them accompanied by snickers. She could almost _hear_ Nick grinding his teeth.

A low growl started in his chest, and Belle heaved a mental sigh of relief at this sign he hadn't quite managed to suppress his primal side. It was _much_ easier to cheer him up when he was like this. Mid-stride, she pivoted on her heel and slammed him against the wall, her sharp teeth finding his neck in a playful bite before she broke away and sprinted off down the corridor.

Belle could hear booted footsteps ringing behind her, and although Nick was faster than she was, she was outdistancing him easily. Grinning to herself, she realized he was allowing her a head start, prolonging the chase. This was his favorite game, and it was easy to enjoy the hunt when the ending was assured.

Trying to move quietly, she led him away from Destiny's more well-traveled areas. By the time Nick caught up with her, privacy would be the _last_ thing on his mind.

Taking corners at random, she kept moving, muffling her steps as much as she could. Not that it mattered, the wretched man could probably _smell_ her. At some point the sound of footsteps died away, and she mentally patted herself on the back, pleased to have evaded him. It was something easier said than done when he was like this.

Apparently she'd also lost herself though. This wasn't a section of Destiny she was familiar with, and she hesitated at a three-way juncture, wondering which way to go. Their game would lose some of its luster if she managed to wander into a dangerous area, and Nick would _not_ take it well if she hurt herself. The last time it happened it had taken her three weeks to convince him to let her out of his sight which had been somewhat awkward when she needed to use the bathroom.

Blowing her hair out of her face, Belle reflected that for someone as overprotective as Nick, choosing the clumsiest person on Destiny as his mate hadn't been the wisest decision. Then again, _nothing_ about this relationship was wise. It was one of the things she liked about it.

None of this, however, was helping her choose a corridor. None of the three offered any clues as to their destination, and she was just about to turn around and attempt to retrace her steps when a faint noise caught her attention. It could have been the settling of the ship or a loose panel or the ghost of one of Destiny's previous inhabitants, but whatever it was made her hair stand on end. Looking around, Belle tried to ascertain where it was coming from, certain that she wanted to avoid that direction.

She shrieked as something caught her around the waist, bearing her to the ground, and broke into a breathless, borderline hysterical laugh when she found herself pinned beneath Nick, who was looking down at her smugly. No wonder she hadn't heard him: he hadn't been chasing her; he'd been _stalking_ her, and she'd certainly felt like prey.

The adrenaline hadn't worn off yet, leaving her feeling flushed and jumpy, like she was going to climb out of her skin. "You scared me to death, Nick!" she scolded, unsurprised when he didn't look the slightest bit repentant.

"Caught you," he informed her like she might have missed it, dropping his head to rub his bearded chin against her jaw and throat, no doubt leaving a mark. She squirmed beneath him, and he tightened his grip on her wrists, holding her in place. Her bones still felt like they were vibrating, and she had to move somehow, arching beneath him out of lack of any other options.

His eyes went dark at her movement, and he pressed his erection against her with a growl, settling himself more firmly on top of her, his hands pinning her wrists, his thighs straddling her hips as he bent to bite at her throat, claiming his prize. "Mine."

Belle sighed and arched her neck, giving him better access. She'd never thought much one way or the other about being marked, but it was impossible to dislike something that thrilled Nick so. "All right, you caught me," she teased, her voice husky, "Now what are you going to do with me?"

The filthy chuckle that greeted her question left her in no doubt of what Nick had in mind, and she was thoroughly on board with his plan. Then again, he _had_ scared a decade off her life, and that deserved some payback.

Twisting her wrists out of his grip, she went to work on his belt and the fly of his jeans, shoving them down past his narrow hips and taking his boxers with them. She had his cock in her hand almost immediately, tugging as he hissed and whimpered at her not-quite-gentle touch. It never failed to amaze her how he could get so hard so fast, and if TJ ever figured out what chemicals from the thorns had done this to him, they'd make a _fortune_ once they made it back to Earth.

With a growl, he pinned her hands again, rubbing himself against her belly as he sunk his teeth into her neck, paying her back for teasing him. After a moment, he lifted his head, looking down at her in consternation when he realized she was still fully dressed and likely to remain so if they stayed in this position.

Belle kept her body loose and relaxed as he reluctantly released her wrists. The second he swung his leg off of her she was up and running, giggling as she heard him behind her trying to scramble to his feet. She had a few seconds' head start while he either got his pants back on or shucked them completely, and she made the most of it, toeing off her shoes and leaving them behind as she darted forward soundlessly.

Soon enough she heard him coming up behind her, and she yanked her shirt off over her head, risking a glance back over her shoulder as she threw it. He didn't take the bait, his attention fixed unwaveringly on her, and he was gaining ground with every step. A corner was coming up; she had to slow, and Nick's body crashed into hers. His arms protected her back and head from the impact as they slammed into the wall, then his mouth was on hers, his tongue delving insistently into her mouth.

Belle gave as good as she got, sliding her hands under his waistcoat and shirt to rake her nails down his back, leaving some marks of her own. He snarled, biting at her lips as she shoved his jeans and boxers back down, gravity doing most of the work for her. She had just enough time to hope they were still in the bowels of the ship, when her own jeans went sliding to the ground, and she quickly kicked out of them and her knickers before Nick picked her up bodily, her legs wrapping around his waist for leverage as he held her in place, trapped between his body and the wall.

Tearing his mouth from hers he looked anxiously into her eyes as he rubbed against her. "Mine?"

It warmed her heart that even like this- even when he knew what her answer would be- he still asked. "Yours," she replied, brushing her lips against his.

Permission granted, he risked unwrapping one arm from her, reaching down to guide himself in with a low growl, "_Mine_."

Belle dug her nails into his shoulders, clinging for balance as he started to thrust, sharp movements of his hips that jarred her body in the most wonderful way. She squirmed against him until he was hitting exactly the right place with every stroke, and he lit up at her moan of pleasure.

His mouth savaged her neck, and she sighed, giving in to it. She couldn't remember the last time she _hadn't_ had a bite mark on her neck. No one on Destiny even blinked anymore. There were certainly worse things to be than the adored mate of Nick Rush.

Already his thrusts were becoming jerky and frantic. They'd both been on edge since this game had started, but Belle needed something more to push her over. The moment she had the thought, Nick's hand cupped her breast, his thumb and forefinger pinching her nipple in rhythm with his thrusts, and pleasure consumed her.

Nick snarled against her neck as she cried out, slamming into her desperately until he came with a ragged cry, clinging to her so tightly she could feel his heart pounding in his chest. They stayed locked together for long moments, Nick's full weight pressing against her, crushing her against the wall. Belle didn't mind in the least. She stroked his hair as he licked at the new bruises he'd left on her throat, clearly pleased with his handiwork. "Mine."

Finally he released her, making sure she had her feet solidly under her before letting go so they could sort themselves out. He was quicker about it than she was, ambling off the way they'd come while she was still trying to button her jeans. He returned a moment later with her shirt in hand, and Belle couldn't suppress her snicker as he presented it to her. "Good boy."

The look she got was a variation of the patented death-glare, but she could tell his heart wasn't in it. "I'm never going to live that down."

"Probably not," she agreed, pulling her shirt back on. "Are you going to start caring what they think now?"

A snort was her only answer, but that said it all. Belle nestled into his side as they went to find her shoes, already making plans for how she'd distract him the next time Greer decided to try playing fetch.


	2. All That Glitters

_In which beast!Rush attempts to find a present for his mate._

* * *

He rubbed his face against his mate's knee, whimpering as she reached down to stroke his hair. There were far too many people in this room all talking, talking, talking, and it was unbearably dull. Worse, his mate would not allow him to take her away from the others. She just patted him and told him to be patient.

He was tired of being patient. He wanted to run and hunt, but he could not leave his mate behind. Growling, he looked suspiciously at the others. They could not be trusted with his mate.

One of the females had something sparkly around her neck, and it kept catching his attention. He liked the way it glittered against her skin. It would look even better around his mate's delicate throat.

He rumbled at the thought of the sparkly thing snuggled in the hollow of his mate's throat for him to admire and lick, and he subsided against her with a sigh, a plan forming in his mind. He was careful to sniff the female thoroughly, committing her scent to mind so he could track her later.

Late that night when his mate was asleep, he crept out of their cozy den, following the tracks the other female had made. It was the work of moments to slip inside her den and lay claim to the sparkly thing, and he murmured happily to himself as he bore it proudly back to their den. This was a gift worthy of his mate. She'd be so pleased with him.

Snuggling into their nest, he draped it around her neck, admiring the way it sparkled in the hollow of her throat. His mate was tired, but he couldn't resist licking at it, liking how the cold felt in contrast to her warm skin.

Beneath him she stirred, and he nudged the sparkly thing with his nose, calling her attention to it. "What? Nick..." She fumbled for it, and he watched her avidly, waiting for her smile of pleasure.

Instead his mate looked puzzled. "Where did you get this?" she asked, peering at it like she thought it might hurt her.

"Found it," he explained, and he waited for her to praise his cleverness.

"You 'found' a diamond necklace? Nick…" His mate sighed, sounding unhappy, and he whimpered, wondering how his gift had gone wrong. It was pretty, and she should like it, but she didn't.

"Sweetheart, you can't just take things," she tried to explain. "This belongs to someone else."

Since he'd claimed it and given it to his mate, he was reasonably sure it was hers now. "Yours."

She got out of bed and placed the sparkly thing on a shelf near the door. "It's a very sweet gift, but I can't keep it," she told him, taking his head in her hands so she could kiss him. "No more stealing, okay?"

His mate liked the sparkly thing, but she didn't like where it had come from. He rumbled happily, undaunted. Now he had a job to do- he would find her a sparkly thing that she approved of.

It felt good to have a task. It gave him something to think about so he wasn't so terribly bored when his mate was busy with her work, and she seemed pleased that he was entertaining himself. She'd be even more pleased when he found her present.

Some of the other females had sparkly things, but his mate refused to accept them, using her serious voice to tell him to put them back where he'd found them. He didn't like her serious voice. It meant he'd done something wrong and displeased her, and all he wanted to do was make her happy. The other females' sparkly things did not make her happy, so he stopped bringing them to her.

Several of the males also had sparkly things, although theirs weren't as pretty. He was quite pleased when his mate refused those too. His mate should have only the very best.

Their place- his mate called it Destiny, a good name- was large and complex, filled with all sorts of hidden mysteries. Somewhere he would find a sparkly thing, and it would be even better because he'd hunted it himself.

His first hunt left him tired and empty-handed, but he was confident he would succeed in time. When he returned to their den, his mate nearly pounced on him, and he licked her neck happily. He'd missed her too.

"Nick, where have you been? No one's seen you all day; I was worried sick!" She wrapped her fingers in his hair to pull him away and look at his face, and the distress in her eyes made him whimper. He'd upset his mate when he sought only to please her.

"Hunting. Sorry." Wrapping his arms around her, he tugged her over to their nest and curled around her protectively, trying to make the bad feelings go away. Her warm little body was tense in his arms, and he stroked her, trying to soothe her.

After a few minutes, she relaxed, snuggling back into him. "If I asked you not to go hunting again, would you stop?"

He grumbled. He did not want to disobey his mate, but he had a task to complete. It was important.

"All right," she patted his hand. "I won't ask. Just promise you'll be careful. This ship can be dangerous."

The Destiny place was their home. It would not hurt him. Humoring his mate, he agreed anyway. "Yes."

"Thank you, Nick," she sighed, and he went back to lapping at her neck. His mate looked tired. He would take care of her. Tugging off her shirt, he set to work bathing her, relishing every giggle. His mate deserved to feel nothing but happiness.

She helped him with the fastenings of her clothes, and he wriggled out of the jeans she insisted he wear when he wasn't in their den. He disliked the fabric, preferring to feel his mate's skin against his own, and he tossed them as far away as he could, licking and nuzzling at her.

After a proper bath, she looked much happier, lying boneless and content in their warm nest, and he couldn't resist the temptation to indulge himself with her mouth. His mate was delicious, and no matter how many times he kissed her, he always wanted more.

He grunted in surprise when his mate flipped them over, subsiding with a happy rumble at her brilliant smile. She was no longer upset with him, expressing her pleasure by bathing him in return, her sweet little paws kneading his hips and holding him still for her tormenting tongue.

She licked him everywhere except where he most needed her attention, and he couldn't prevent whining noises from spilling from his lips as he begged her to put him out of his misery.

Crawling back up his body, she licked at his lips until he growled, chasing her tongue with his own. He _needed_ his mate's mouth. Distracted, he barely noticed her wrapping her hand around the base of his cock until she canted her hips back, taking him deep in one movement.

He howled as she rocked back, her wet heat wrapping around him so tightly that he had to claw at the bed so as not to disappoint her. His mate sighed and cooed with pleasure, teasing him by lifting herself almost all the way off and squeezing around just the tip of him before seating herself again in his lap.

Frantic noises spilled from his lips as he pawed at her, trying to give her the same pleasure, and she laced their fingers together, leaning over him as she held his hands down. "Just enjoy it, sweetheart," she crooned. "You're such a good mate. Let me make you feel good."

Growling, he tried not to move too much, unable to keep from lifting his hips, trying to prolong their connection every time she lifted herself off of him. Her hands tightened on his, and he adjusted the grip, trying to offer her his support as she moved over him.

Her thighs trembled, and she moved from the teasing strokes to smaller movements of her hips, keeping him deep inside as she ground against him, her mouth finding his neck. "Mine…" she hissed, sinking her teeth into him and sucking hard, and he exploded with a roar of pleasure, feeling his mate clench around him, her body fluttering with her own climax.

Sweaty and exhausted, she collapsed on him, and he rolled them over so he could curl protectively around his mate. She was a wonder, and he would allow no harm to come to her.

She clearly felt the same way about him, because she sent him off with a kiss and a stern warning to "Be _careful_" before she went off to stare at her screens and he went to hunt for her present.

He found all sorts of things, but most weren't the slightest bit interesting. He had one success- a length of flexible cord that shone brightly in the dim light. It reminded him of the chain the first sparkly thing had been on, and he was careful to pocket it for later. It was a start.

He didn't show the cord to his mate who gave him a careful once-over upon his return to their den. She seemed less worried today, and his ability to return without a scratch on him relaxed her further to the point where her reminder to be careful was almost an afterthought the next day. She handed him a few pictures of things that he should look for, and he put them in his other pocket after committing them to memory. Finding a sparkly thing was his first priority, but if he stumbled across any of the other things, he would bring them back too.

It took him four more days during which he found several cases of grain bars that made everybody he passed smile at him, but he finally found what he was looking for. The sparkly thing was the same size as the first joint of his thumb, transparent and oddly shaped. It was perfect, although he didn't have the slightest idea how he was going to make it go on his cord. There was no hole for the cord to pass through.

He spent hours trying to wrap the cord around it so that it would stay, his clumsy fingers unsuited to the task. His mate could have done it in a matter of minutes, but it was wrong to ask her to assemble her own present. He _would_ succeed.

Several times he thought he'd secured it, only to have the sparkly thing fall out and hit the floor when he held it up to admire it. Tugging impatiently at his hair, he tried again and again until he managed to tie the cord around it so that it stayed where he wanted it even when he gave it a spin.

One more knot made a loop that would drape over his mate's head, and he looked proudly at his gift. She had to like this one.

The corridors were emptier than usual as he made his way back to their den, and when he got there, his mate was nowhere to be found. That was very inconvenient, and he lifted his head to sniff the air, tracking her.

Instead of being in the place with the food or the one with the glowing screens, his mate had gone off to the empty part of the Destiny place, not so far from where he'd been hunting. Had he not been so intent on his task, he would have smelled her sooner.

"Nick!" she cried when she caught sight of him, throwing herself into his arms, and he caught her trembling form close. "Are you all right?"

She wrenched herself out of his embrace, running her hands over him as though she was searching for injuries. When she didn't find any, she grabbed his shoulders and gave him a shake. "Do you have any idea what time it is?!"

Perplexed, he shook his head, and all the anger seemed to drain out of her. She sat down hard on the floor, and he whimpered as she started to cry. Sitting down behind her, he wrapped himself around her, rocking her gently as she sobbed. "Of course you don't. Let me guess, you were doing something and totally lost track of time."

With a soothing rumble, he nuzzled her ear. "Yes."

A watery laugh answered him. "At least you're consistent."

"Sorry," he rasped, and she shook her head, bumping his nose.

"No, it's all right. It's who you are. I was used to it, and then the thorns happened, and I just… forgot." She sighed, turning so she could rest her head on his shoulder. "I was worried, and I couldn't find you."

"Sorry," he said again, cursing himself for upsetting his mate. He could always find her, and if he couldn't, he'd lose his mind. No wonder his mate was unhappy. He needed to teach her how to track so she could always find him too. She'd feel better then.

"I'm just glad you're all right." He rubbed her back until her breathing slowed to a normal rate, nuzzling her hair. Once he was certain she was calm, he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out her gift, dangling it in front of her nose.

"For you," he said, and her eyes went wide when she blinked them open to see what he was offering her.

"It's so pretty," she breathed, taking the sparkly thing in her hand so she could see it better. "Did you _make_ this?"

"For you," he agreed, draping the cord around her neck, pleased that it fit her perfectly.

He whimpered when tears filled her eyes. "This is what you've been doing. This is what you were hunting."

Distressed, he lapped at the side of her face, relieved when she blinked the tears away. "I love you, Nick."

"Love you," he rumbled, catching her lips with his as he tasted her smile. His mate liked his gift. She was pleased with him.

She buried her fingers in his hair, keeping him close after the kiss ended and rubbing her nose against his. "You are the most perfect mate in the universe," she told him. "I'm so lucky you're mine."

Greedily, he seized her mouth again. His mate was perfection, and when she said things like that it drove him completely out of his head with the need to claim her. She was his completely, would always be his, and nothing could be more amazing than that.

"Mine," he growled, letting the single word express everything he had trouble finding language for.

"Yours," she agreed, her soft little paw cupping him through his jeans, and he snarled at the touch, hips bucking.

He pawed at her clothes, and she shoved him away long enough to take them off while he fumbled with his own. The sight of his mate's bare skin in the corridor's dim light made him growl with appreciation, and she flushed at the hungry noise, yelping as he tackled her to the ground, keeping careful hold of her head so his clumsy mate didn't hurt herself.

Sitting back on his heels, he admired the picture she made with his gift around her throat. He leaned down to lap at it, the contrast between the cool crystal and her warm skin arousing him almost unbearably. She wriggled beneath him, trying to turn them over, but she'd had her way last time. Now it was his turn.

He played with the necklace, rubbing the crystal against her nipple until it hardened at the cold touch before lapping eagerly at it, warming her with his mouth. He repeated the process again and again until the crystal warmed, and he tried something new. Keeping it in his mouth, he sucked at her breast, using his tongue to press it against the dainty bud.

His mate keened, fisting her hands in his hair to hold him in place, demanding more, and he was happy to provide. He kept going until she moved to cradle him between her thighs, lifting her hips insistently, and he tore himself away with a growl, He was starving for her sweetness, and he deserved a reward for his successful hunt.

With a murmur of pleasure, he lapped at her, loving the way his mate arched and screamed for him. No one else could please her like he could. She was his, and he would care for her always.

He thrust his tongue deep, searching for more, and she nearly tore out a handful of his hair, petting him in apology when her body stopped convulsing. Pleased by her enthusiasm, he did it again, grabbing her hips and squeezing, encouraging her to show him what she wanted.

He could have spent hours just lapping up her sweet juices, but far before he was done, she pulled him away from her, wrapping her legs around his hips. "Nick, _please_," she begged, and he was helpless to resist her.

With one thrust he was buried to the hilt, and his mate tossed her head with a wild cry, baring her throat to him. He closed his mouth around the place where her neck met her shoulder, worrying it with his blunt teeth as he started to move.

He pushed against her, planting his feet so he could thrust harder, but he couldn't get close enough. He'd never be close enough to his precious mate. Sensing his dilemma, she cooed at him, drawing her knees back until her feet rested on his shoulders, his mate bent almost in half as he pounded into her, his teeth buried in her throat, and this was _exactly_ what he needed.

Her body trembled and jerked at his force, but a litany of praise fell from her lips, his mate urging him on. "Oh _yes_, Nick. Just like that. So _good_, sweetheart…"

She grabbed his arse and squeezed. "Mine."

His howl echoed through the corridor as he spilled himself within her, feeling like the world was coming apart around them, his mate's arms the only thing holding him together. With the last of his strength, he slipped his hand between them, stroking her until she followed him with a ragged cry.

He had only enough sanity left to roll onto his back, his mate squirming until she was lying comfortably on top of him, her head pillowed on his shoulder as she licked gently at the bite mark she'd left days earlier.

When she sucked at it, he whimpered and arched convulsively, his body struggling to respond, and she blew a gust of cool air against his throat. "Hush, sweetheart," she crooned. "Rest now."

His mate would probably be more comfortable in their cozy den, but the way she rubbed his belly made him feel utterly relaxed and content, unable to move even to open his eyes. Gentle lips kissed each eyelid and his nose before brushing gently against his own, and he rumbled with happiness. The Destiny place was theirs and would protect them Between one breath and another he slipped into sleep, his precious mate safe in his arms.


End file.
